Loss For Words
by CuddlyCookie1360
Summary: Clementine comes back to Richmond after leaving to go find AJ, but she didn't return how they expected
1. Chapter 1

**Loss For Words**

 _I'll be honest, this is going to have some feels. I feel like I should work on conveying emotions better, so that's where this story comes in. You'll see why in a few moments..._

 ** _Janiss_**

Janiss stood at her post, with her rifle to her side on the ground. She honestly hated her job, for she had to aim her gun at anybody looking suspicious, whether she wanted to shoot them or not. She had never shot someone coming to the gates yet, but she didn't want to jinx anything.

It was a normal morning. The sky was actually looking nice for once, with it's pale blue color and few clouds. She got the morning greeting from both Kate and Gabe, but not Javi yet.

She would have to say Clementine was her favorite out of the group. Janiss loved her attitude, even when she was angry. Clementine was a badass, and Janiss was happy to say she was glad of that. Clementine had never cried before, though Janiss could tell the girl had been through shit. Everyone has. She had to admit, Clem was damn good at hiding her emotions.

When she had first met Clementine, she had thought she would be useless, seeing as she cared for a two, maybe three, year old.

Boy had Clem proven her wrong.

Clementine really was a light in the darkness, just like Ava had said. Ava had always brought her up in conversation, telling Janiss about how amazing she is. She could be an angel, or she could be a bitch. Janiss had seen both. She definitely preferred angel Clem.

Though there was one Clem she hadn't seen, a broken Clem.

Javi, Kate and Gabe were huddled in a group below her, talking. Probably about whatever the hell needed to get done. Janiss really didn't care. She returned to looking out at the buildings in front of the gate, when she saw a figure walking towards them. Janiss hesitated in grabbing the rifle. She saw a familiar teenager, the same one who had left to go find, AJ, was it? Janiss could give a shit less what the name was. She wanted to teach him about scavenging, if Clem would let her. Janiss eagerly watched the girl move forward, but she looked around nearby her and saw no-one else.

Janiss gave a wave to the girl, which she meekly returned. Janiss could tell she only waved because she wanted to let Janiss know she had seen her.

Janiss wanted to ask what's wrong, and where's the boy, but when she saw Clem enter focus she immediately regretted even thinking about asking.

The girl was a mess. She was covered in gore, probably walker guts. Her face was wet, most likely from crying. Her hair was tangled, as if Clem didn't care anymore. Her jacket was torn in some places. She did not look like the girl that Janiss saw leaving to go on her trip.

Clementine ignored her, and Janiss knew to just open the gate for her. She climbed down a flight of stairs to get down from her post on the wall. She opened the doors and then the gate. Clem started walking inside, and her eyes met Janiss's. Janiss could tell Clementine was fighting back tears.

Janiss was sad, even looking at the girl. "It's okay..." Was all Janiss could say to her. Clem shook her head, and stared beyond Janiss.

"He's talking," Janiss said. She could tell the teen was looking for Javier. Javi was like a father to Clem. Javi had helped her in the worst of times. Janiss stepped out the way, and let Clementine get a look at Javi, who was looking back at her.

 ** _Javi_**

Javier knew the second he saw Clementine, something was definitely wrong.

For one, she didn't have AJ with her, which was probably a bad sign. Two, she was a goddamn mess. Three, she was clearly holding back the urge to cry.

God, Javi had never seen someone this upset.

Clem's green-brown eyes locked with Javi's and for a moment they just stared at each other. Gabe looked at Clem with both fear and concern on his face. Kate looked like she wanted to say something, but just couldn't.

Clem ran forward and flung her arms around Javi, and started sobbing. Javi stumbled backwards a bit from the force, but he return the hug.

"Shh... It's okay..." Javi assured, rubbing his hand up and down the teenager's back in an attempted to make her feel better. He knew nothing would though, for she seemed to be a broken mess.

Broken mess. Huh.

Javi remembered _he_ was a broken mess, after he was banned from playing baseball. He remembered the feeling, he felt like there was nothing worth living for anymore. David had done his best to assure Javi he would find something else, but boy was Kate better at it. Kate made Javi feel like maybe there was hope. Like there was something better. Guess it made a difference.

Clementine still clutched Javi, and still cried. Javi ran his hand up and down her back, but it was doing no good for the girl. They stood like that for a few seconds, when Clementine stated what he had hoped was not true.

"AJ's dead."

 ** _Gabe_**

Gabe hated seeing Clem like this. Ever since the day she came back she had been a mess. Honestly all she did was stay in her room, in her bed. She mostly slept, ate, and laid in bed, doing nothing. Gabe thought she was probably depressed. He knew Clem had lost a lot of people, but she never really opened up to him about it. Gabe wished she had told him something, because he would do anything to make her feel better.

Maybe Gabe did have a crush on Clem. Maybe that was why he hated seeing her this way. His hopes were high, that when she came back she would come back with AJ and Gabe would get to teach him Euchre. After all, he did teach Clementine.

Javi came into the room, and starting setting up to begin cooking.

"What's for dinner?" Gabe asked.

"Beans and fruit," Javi answered. Javi begun to open the can, presumably of beans.

Gabe tried his best not to groan in annoyance. They _always_ had beans and fruit. He supposed it was better than nothing, but he would kill to eat a cookie again.

"How's Clem doing?" Javi asked, despite knowing the answer already.

"Not good and still depressed," Gabe replied, then sighed. "I wish she would just talk about it. Then maybe we could do more to help."

"You can't force her to open up to you Gabe," Javi informed. "You have to let her come to you."

"She won't come to me."

"She might."

"Sure doesn't seem like it." Gabe sighed, resting his head on the couch.

"Maybe you should go check up on her," Javi said. "You know, she if she wants dinner."

"Okay," Gabe replied, standing up. He walked over to the door leading to Clementine's room. He pushed it open, and closed the door behind him.

He walked over to the bed, where Clementine was.

"Go away Gabe," Clemenine snapped. She must have heard him.

"Umm... Javi wanted me to ask if you waned Dinner," Gabe said. "So, do you?"

"I don't know," Clem answered. She was silent. "I think I'll pass."

"You sure?" Gabe asked

"Positive," Clem confirmed. Gabe walked over to the door.

"Hey, Gabe?" Clementine asked. Gabe paused, and turned around. "You mind?"

Clem was asking if Gabe would stay? Gabe was dumbfounded, but he answered with a yes anyways. He walked back over to the bed and sat down. He rubbed Clem's back. It seemed to soothe the girl, so he did it more.

"I was nine. My parents left on a trip. They, they never came back." Gabe listened, so Clementine continued.

"I met a man named Lee. He protected me, and taught me how to shoot a gun. Then, I was stupid, and someone tricked me into thinking they had my parents. I ended up getting kidnapped, but Lee came to find me. That's when I realized he was bit."

"Lee covered me in walker guts to move through a herd, but we had to stop because he was too weak. I... I had to shoot him..." Clementine stifled a sob. Gabe suddenly understood Clem a bit more.

"We had met up with other people, but they all ended up dead. I found another group, and two of them had a baby called AJ. The rest of the group died, except for AJ and me. Then we met the New Fronteir, and I met you guys. I wish... AJ could have met you."

Clementine started crying again, and Gabe started rubbing her back.

"And I thought I was a fuck up." Clementine stifled a laugh at his remark, and Gabe couldn't help but smiling.

"Was that a laugh?" Gabe asked, and Clementine blushed.

"No," she denied.

"You sure?" Gabe pryed.

"Yes."

"You sure?" Gabe moved and starting to tickle Clem, who started laughing.

"That was definitely a laugh."

Clementine hiccuped, which caused Gabe to laugh. Gabe reached for a pillow, and struck Clem with it. Clem fell of the bed, taking a pillow down with her.

"Ah, Clem! I'm so sorry!" Gabe apologized. "Sorry-"

A pillow hit him in the face, which was followed by laughter. "Hey, you got me out of this bed," laughed a Clem, who popped up from the side she fell down. "Now, give me the pillow back and we can have a real pillow fight!"

 ** _Clem_**

Clem was out with Javier, Gabe and Kate. They were scoping around the area, looking for anything they could find in the mess of a place outside Richmond. Kate turned around a corner, Javi was searching a trash can, and Clem was with Gabe, looking around on the ground for anything remarkable.

"I don't think we're going to find anything," Gabe concluded. Clem sat on her knees, and sighed, for Gabe was stating the obvious. They had found nothing so far, and they had searched this place before.

"Javier!" Kate screamed. Gabe, Clem and Javi scrambled to a standing position.

"What's wrong!?" Javi yelled.

"It's a child!" Kate replied. "He seems to be hurt, hungry, thirsty, and probably alone too." They heard a slight whimper and a cry, probably the boy. Gabe and Clem followed Javi's lead as he lead them to where Kate was. Upon seeing the boy, Javi immediately rushed towards him and Kate. Gabe walked over, and stood behind Kate. Clem, however, didn't move. She could hardly breathe. She stood gaping at the boy, who was very scared, and looked very tired and hungry.

The boy was looking at them with fear in his tiny eyes. He didn't know these people, but they seemed caring, enough. He was searching for one person in particular though. None of these people were her. But he saw someone behind them, and nonetheless it was Clementine.

Clem ran towards the boy, and gave him a huge bear hug, which he gladly returned. The boy started crying, and so did Clem. Her life wasn't falling apart after all. He was still alive. Clementine could barely get the words out, because she were crying, laughing, and hugging all at once.

"AJ!"


	2. Chapter 2

**_Ughhhhhhh._**

 ** _Okay._**

 ** _I THOUGHT that this would be a one-shot. Nope! This might even turn into a three-shot if this chapter doesn't finish it._**

 ** _Thanks for the nice reviews by the way. That's pretty much WHY I'm continuing this._**

 _Two Days Later_

 **Eleanor**

Eleanor woke up to the sun shining into the room through the curtains. She sometimes hated getting up so early, but better early than never. She had always been an early bird. Eleanor sat on the side of her bed and slipped her mint green slippers onto her feet before she stood up. Eleanor walked over to the door and very quietly turned the doorknob. Her door opened, and she slipped into the kitchen.

Eleanor made her way to the counter, where she grabbed a banana and looked at the chart Clem had made.

"Looks like it's my turn this morning," Eleanor noted. She peeled the banana and sat at the table, debating what to teach the little goofball today. She finally settled on stitches, and she threw the empty banana peel into the makeshift trash can.

Javi's door flung open, and out marched Kate. She held a book in her hand triumphantly.

"Haha! You've been writing a book!" Kate teased.

"Hey, give that back!" Javi yelled.

"Guys! Quiet! You're going to wake the kids up!" Eleanor intervened.

"I was already up," Gabe stated, and he stepped into the room. "Morning." He walked over to the counter and grabbed a banana.

"I'm going to hide it!" Kate continued to tease.

"Okay, what's going on?" Eleanor asked, as Javier stumbled into the room.

"Oh, nothing. Just this little bastard is writing a book!" Kate excitedly shared. She held the book close to her chest. "It's mine now!"

"You really know how to push my buttons," Javi said, and Kate handed the book back to him. "But, I still love you." Eleanor walked away as Javi and Kate started to make out.

"Typically morning here," Gabe commented. Eleanor sat next to him.

"Yep," She replied. "Suppose it's less hectic than usual."

"At least they can actual love each other. I have to hide it from Clem," Gabe sighed. "I don't know how to tell her! And I don't want to get friendzoned either."

Eleanor didn't know what to say, so she put her hand on Gabe's shoulder. "You'll make the right call."

 **Kate**

Kate watched as Javi hit a baseball into bushes.

"That's how you hit!" Javi exclaimed, and looked down at the little boy next to him, who was staring at the bushes in wonder.

"Ball disappear?" AJ asked.

"No, it's just hiding," Javi replied, and he laughed as AJ ran towards the bushes and started rummaging around, looking for the baseball.

Kate laughed too, and she stood up and walked over to Javier.

"He would be a baseball star if we still had the sport around," Kate said.

Javi chuckled. "Like the good old days. Not saying these days aren't good either." He placed a kiss on Kate's forehead.

"So, what's your book about?" Kate questioned.

"This life. I mean, might as well write it down!" Javi explained. AJ ran back with the baseball in both his hands.

"Bat again?" He asked. Javi picked up the baseball bat and the ball. Kate stood back, and AJ stood next to her as Javier hit the baseball farther into the bushes. AJ chased after it.

"You're still getting better."

"Always have been, always will."

 **Clementine**

Clem walked into the town square. She loved how it had been turned into a market. Well, as good as a market can get here. They kept the gallow, and used it as a stage for meetings. Little stands were placed around the outskirts of the square, and in the middle were tables. Clem wasn't surprised to see it was packed, but she found an empty table and sat down.

"You're alone," a voice said behind her. Clementine turned around to see Frank. He made corn dogs, which was (in Clem's opinion) the best food here.

"Yeah, Javi's teaching AJ baseball," Clem responded.

"Javi's a good man. Let me in even when I was injured," Frank stated.

"He helped me too. He's always been a nice person. I'm glad I didn't shoot him," Clem replied. She looked past the stand and at a boy walking a little distance away.

"Oh, sorry Frank, but I gotta go," Clem said. She jumped up and ran past the stand and towards Gabe.

"Hey, Gabe!" Clem called. Gabe turned to look at Clem.

"Hi Clem," Gabe greeted. Clementine caught up to him, and they started walking down an alleyway together.

"Why are you in such a rush?"

"I... Wanted to ask you something," Clem replied. Gabe looked at her with concern.

"Umm... I know we are good friends, maybe even better than good friends. We're... Really good friends." Gabe's eyes saddened slightly at this, but he let Clem continue. "I don't want to ruin that by asking you this... But I have to."

"Will you be AJ's dad?"

Gabe was silent. But then he smiled. "Of course!" He exclaimed, and was knocked backwards by Clementine, who had flung herself at him. Clem's arms were around Gabe's waist, and Gabe put his arms around Clem. Clementine looked up and Gabe looked down at her.

The moment was perfect. It kinda happened on its own, but all Clem knew was one minute she was looking at Gabe, the next she her eyes were closed and she and Gabe were kissing. God, Gabe was a pretty good kisser. Or Clem was good. Either way, Clementine didn't pull away. She pulled Gabe closer, and she put her arms around his neck. Gabe lowered his arms to her waist, and they stayed kissing for a few seconds, but it felt like forever.

Finally, the two broke apart, and Clem rested her head on Gabe's shoulder.

"I love you, Gabe," Clem whispered.

Gabe's eyes widened, but then he replied. "I love you too, Clem. I always have."

Clementine started to lightly cry, and Gabe rubbed her back. "Shh... It's okay."

"It's just... It's a lot... To take in... I... I guess?" Clem shook slightly, and her tears stained Gabe's shirt, but neither of them cared. "I... I'm just... I don't know... I..."

"I'm just at a loss for words."

 ** _Ba doom Ching! Roll credits!_**

 ** _Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this. I think this ends Loss For Words, though I thought that with the first chapter and I was wrong, but whatever! I put in ClemxGabe, which I hope made you happy. This chapter made me happy, because I feel like someone took over my brain and wrote this, I can't believe this is something I wrote!_**

 ** _Bye!_**


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